Midwest Conference Audios

Masashi Sugita Introduction: I was born in Tokyo in 1960 and came to America as an exchange student when I was 17 years old. I met Christ while studying oceanography at Humbolt State University in California and went on to get a Master of Theology from Golden Gate Baptist Seminary. I was called to Dublin Baptist Japanese Church in Columbus, Ohio. I continue to serve there and am also involved in planting seven churches in neighboring communities.

Handouts from Seminar: Characteristics of Japanese Religiosity
Shinto Buddhism Overview

Seminar: Although Japan today is one of the most affluent, well educated and technologically sophisticated societies on earth, Japanese culture and ways of thinking about religious matters have been significantly shaped by 1400 years of Buddhist influence. This seminar  will include a very concise overview of Japanese Buddhism and will suggest some ways in which Buddhist (and Shinto) influences affect popular Japanese religiosity. Some implications for Christian witness in Japan will also be explored.

Dr. Harold Netland: He was born in Japan to missionary parents. He and his wife Ruth served as missionaries to Japan from 1984 -1993. Since 1993 he has been at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he is Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Intercultural Studies.

Praying For Japan Powerpoint
 Seminar: Christianity was first introduced to Japan in 1549 when Francis Xavier, a Jesuit Priest, went to Japan. During this time period many became Catholic Christians, but also faced persecution. This was just the beginning of Christianity in Japan.This year marks the 150^th anniversary of Protestant mission in Japan. Again in the 1870s we saw many open to the message of the Gospel, but Christianity is not able to break the 1% barrier.

This seminar will take a brief look at the historical acceptance and rejection of Christianity, then look at the issue of spiritual warfare and the place it has had in keeping Japanese from accepting the Gospel. Examples will be shared of ways in which local shrines and temples have had an influence on keeping Christianity from spreading. The seminar will end with a time of prayer together for Japan.

Stephen Dupree:  Stephen and Beth Dupree have served as missionaries with OMS International since 1990. Their multifaceted ministry has included evangelism, teaching, music, discipleship and counseling.

ESL Handout
Seminar:
This seminar will present various ideas for starting a conversation club for Japanese who are working or studying in the United States for an extended period of time.  It will include ideas for advertising the club and establishing an agenda for the first meetings. Also various tools and techniques will be presented to get conversation started and keep it going. Suggestions will be given for thought-provoking questions that will take conversation to a deeper level. Finally, tips for developing relationships and making this outreach successful will be discussed. Participants in this seminar will leave the session with a clear outline for how to establish a conversation club as an outreach tool.

Mary Cerutti has an M.S. Degree in Human Resource Management from Villanova University and an M.A. in Intercultural Studies and Teaching English as a Second or Other Language from Wheaton College.  She worked in the business community for over 10 years, taught ESL at World Relief and currently is Instructor for the Institute for Cross-Cultural Training at Wheaton College as well as being on the faculty in ESL at Harper College, Palatine, Illinois and ESL instructor at Xilin Northwest Chinese School.  She has taught and befriended many Japanese in her years as ESL teacher.

Seminar: How can American and Japanese Christians who have befriended Japanese and witnessed to them help and encourage them spiritually as they say goodbye?  We will offer some ideas on the followings: 1) insights into their thinking as Japanese consider and evaluate the Christian message and think about how they can live this out in Japan, with the challenges they know will come up back home with family, friends, and culture.   2) tips for keeping in touch – what things are useful to help your friends continue to think about God?  3) suggestions for connecting your friends with Christians and churches in Japan.We hope to make it a practical and down-to-earth session.This is a panel discussion with four veteran ministry workers who have been involved in outreach to the Japanese in Michigan and Japan for many years. Participants include: Andy and Emma Nakajima, Kevin Clouse (pastor of Christ Community Church in Battle Creek, MI.), and Tsutomu Matsumoto (core member of the Make Us One group)

Andy Nakajima:  Fumihito Andy Nakajima was born and raised in Sapporo, Japan.  He came to know Christ at the age of 18.  He started teaching Japanese to missionaries at OMF Japanese Language Institute in Sapporo during his college years.  After college, he received a calling to become a pastor and teacher.  He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary and Master of Arts degree in Japanese Pedagogy from Columbia University.  In 1992, some retired missionaries, Japanese ministers, and the Nakajimas started a Japanese ministry in the western Michigan area.  Now, they oversee four ministry locations.  Andy has been teaching Japanese language, history, and culture as an Associate Professor at Hope College since 1995.

Seminar: Japan is known to be one of the hardest nations to reach with the Gospel. Why is it?  This seminar will introduce an overview of Japanese culture and several of the barriers that keep the Japanese from accepting the Gospel. If you are new to the Japanese culture, this seminar will be a very helpful start.

Naoko Brown: She was born in Shizuoka City in Japan and has been living in the United States for about 20 years.  Twelve years ago she was led to Christ and discipled by an American woman who is on the staff of International Students, Incorporated.

Seminar: This session will begin with a discussion of three critical keys to reaching Japanese with the Gospel.  Then a “show and tell” will introduce participants to several creative and practical outreach tools.

Paul Nethercott  was born in Canada, grew up in the US and has spent over twenty years in Japan where he and his wife, Nancy, serve with TEAM.   He helped establish CAN (Christians in the Arts Network), writes a column for the Japan Harvest magazine, writes for a blog called “Worship and the Arts” and spends a lot of his time networking, and investing in people.  Two years ago he helped establish “Studio Re:” — a film making non-profit that is dedicated to making films.  Paul has a great passion to reach Japanese with the gospel.   In particular he has a vision to produce films that pose crucial questions and present redemptive content from a contemporary Japanese cultural perspective.

Seminar: Handout: Preparing and Sharing an Effective Testimony
As Japanese travel abroad God often creates a wonderful window of opportunity for them to begin a  journey that ultimately leads to a relationship with Him.  While they are here your testimony can make a significant impact on them.  For the first time they may come to understand that God is interested in and loves them.  In this workshop we will consider together what kind of personal testimony you can share, a testimony that God may use as a powerful impetus to motivate Japanese toward faith in Christ.  We will also consider pitfalls to avoid as we share with them.

Barry Walker and his wife Tammy served as missionaries to Japan with the International Mission Board from 1995 through 2002.  There they ministered alongside a Japanese pastor and church in snowy Toyama before moving to Tokushima (island of Shikoku).  In Tokushima they worked with a missionary team doing outreach focused on the blue-collar, labor working force of Japan.  For the past six years he has been planting a Japanese church in Nashville, Tennessee and serves as the pastor.